Axle journal bearing



Jan. 1, 1935. R. LINN AXLE JOURNAL BEARING 2 Sheets-sheet 1 F'iled OCT.. 9, 1933 y Z22/. OQZZ 2am y s #Orne Jan. 1, 1935. R. LINN AXLE JOURNAL BEARING Filed Oct. 9, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4r l,... "W

jwdevz for oef/ laken.

a W, m W

Patented Jan. 1, 1935 E1s PATENT OFFICE f AXLE JOURNAL BEARING Robert Linn,

Chicago, Ill.; Lawrence W. Whitmer, administrator of said Robert Linn, deceased, assigner, by mesne assignments, to

Eureka Machinery VCompany Estate, Chicago, Ill.

(Limited) TrustA Y Applicatin octber 9,1923, serial No. 692,859 7 Claims.' (C1. 30s- 206) The purpose of this invention is 'to provide .an-improved form and construction of a vehicle :axle bearing, as for a railway' car truck or road vehicle having roller bearings for the axle or journaLand ball bearings for receiving the end thrust. The invention consists in the elements and features of construction shown and described as indicated-in the claims.

In the drawings: y y Y Figure 1 is a vertical section, axialv with respect to the axle or journal, of the hub of a` vehicle wheel constructed in accordance with this invention. i

Figure 2 is asection at either of the lines 2 2. on-Figure 1.

Figure 3 isa sectionat the line 3-3 on Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section at the line 4-4 on Figure Figure 5 is a section at the line 5^-5 onFigure 1.

rFigure 6 is a dissected partly sectional View showingin side elevation the several parts which are assembled on the axle, as seen in Figure 1, the 'journal bearing memberor hub body being shown in section as in Figure 1.

Figure 7 is an assembled view of a modified form of the part of the structure shown inthe dissected part of Figure 6.

Referring to the drawings:

A is the axle or journal element which is shown as a terminal of a iixed or hub Vaxlewhich might be understood to be made fast to the frame structure of the vehicle by means of the flange, a. But'the invention is not to be understood ask concerned with the character or mounting of the journal member as to whether it is fixed for carrying a rotatable wheel or rotatable in a xed journal bearing, or whether both axle and wheel are `rotatable with respect to each other and with respect to the vehicle frame structure.Y

The axle, A, comprises the journal proper indicated at A1, extending within the journal bearing member indicated in entirety at B, andl y having the journal bearing afforded by vbearing rollers, C, seated for rolling on the journal, A1,

and on the inner journal bearing surface, B1,

of the journal bearingmembe'r, B. The rollers, C, are assembled and retainedin a circular series encompassing the journal by anti-friction ball assemblies indicated in entirety .at D, and hereinaiter more particularly described. Provisionk for end thrust of thel journal member-is made 'by anti-friction ball assembly indicated in entirety f vat E, and hereinafter described in detail, said ball assembly being carried on' the axle at the outer end portion thereof beyond the roller bearing portion, A1, and stopped longitudinally of the axle and stopped also longitudinally of the journal bearing member, B, by means fixed with respect to said journal bearing member hereinafter particularly described. p

The purpose of the construction as having the/ball assembly stopped longitudinally of the axle and also stopped longitudinally of the journal bearing member is to adapt' the `ball 4assembly toftake the endwise thrust of the axle or journal in both directions, dispensing with a second ball assembly which would otherwise be necessary at the other end of the roller seating.Y

portion. of the journal. Y

Referring to the drawings in detail: The axle or journal member is formed with an outwardly facing annular shoulder, 21, which may be considered as bounding the roller-seating portion of the journal constituting the journalV proper,

which extends of uniforml diameter irom .said shoulder, 21, the full length of the rollers; and at theouter limit of that portion the journal member is reduced in diameter forming a sec-A ond outwardly facing shoulder,;22, and extending outwardly from said second shoulder a uniforrnly diametered portion, 23, which seats a narrow collar or washer, 22a, and beyond the thickness of said Washer constitutes a seat and journal for the ball assembly seat the journal member is further reduced in diameter forming a third outwardly facing shoulder, 24, and a narrow or shortuniformly diametered seat, 25, therebeyond, for seating a narrow collar, 35, which is stopped against the shoulder, 24, and engaged therewith for rotation with the journal by a pin,a, engaging a recess or notch in the shoulder, 24, and which is dimensionedas to its outer diameter Yfor lapping over the ball assembly, E, to retain the latter on the seat, 23, against longitudinal displacement. The terminal portion ofthe journal member beyond the seat, 25,' is threaded to receive a nut, 26, for retainingthe collar, 35, on Vthe seat, 25, as

described.

The ball'assemblyE,comprises acircular system of balls,x 30, mounted on afball-retaining and spacing ring, 3l, of familiar construction in that it has holes suitably dimensioned and *their inner `circumference formed to .afford propand the collar, 35, is not clamped for clamping the ballsv of the ball system between the rtracky plates, but on the contraly allparts of the ball assembly are free to movef-ingresponse to the rotative movement of the' journal relatively `to the journal bearing member.

The journal bearing member, B, is shown as a wheel hub with an exterior annular `flange, M,

and furnished with an vexterior-'collar `or1sle'eve, v

N, having an annular flange, N1, 'mating `and facing the flange, M, and equipped with bolts,l P, andspacingfsleevea'Q, forjclamping'to the hub of a zdemountablewheel. lBut it. may be understood that. the present invention is not concerned with these features except inthe generalway `that;the ,invention may. be embodied Y yin awheel hubzconstruction as suggested by the wheel hub features without 'departing-.from its L`primary purpose 'and intent.

This journal.:bearing;member, B, islzdimensioned'as to its innerdiameter `at the major.

-partof its length for accommodating the roller systemmade up of therollers, C, with enlarged inner diameter at the; opposite end portions, vas

' seen at 40, 41 and annularZ transaXialY shoulders,

442-and 43, for seating on said `shoulders respectively the ball assemblies,-D, vrD.-Jlilach ofthese ball assemblies 1 comprises a .circular system of l balls, 44, seated individually `between ..the,con-

`secutive rollers of the system andV in the `annular grooves, 45,:of the rollers vwith a .spacingring '48, having holes `for-positioning the balls prop- Lerly spaced circumferentially` for lthus fseating between and on;the rollers and cooperating: en-

vcompassing rings, 46Sand- 46a, formedy for.: screw- 1 ing together toembracetheball system and .at

er tracks-for the rrolling of`the balls. As may be understood-from the showing of the rings, v46

`and 46a,1in Figures 1 and15, the outer `ring,146,

is formed witha Aperipherally ratchet-toothed flange, 49, cooperating witha! spring pawl, 49a,

`vmounted onlthe outer'face of thering, v46.H

Thus thetwo ringsare screwed ,together vfor holding the ball system in proper.` relation to the irollers: and will/be safe against liability .tofbecome unscrewed.

'The roller bearing as :described lis rendered substantially "friotionlesssbylhaving the rollers.

individuallylfurnished with ball bearings asfdescribed, with thelballsifseated for rolling engage- .A ment with .the rollers and also onthe'ball track 4of .the journal bearing member, B, which is formed by the coupled rings, 46,` 46a. vAndfor :adapting the ballsto 'thusroll .without friction,

on vtheir inner track on the rollers, or'on Ytheir outer 'track on the :journaltfbearing member track, 46, 46a, the parts aredimensioned inre- .v

spect to the diameter lofflthey vjournalv member, A1, diameter of Vtheffrollers, C, diameter ofthe balls, 44, and angle vof the roller grooves, 45, so

as-to'make the circle of-the balls'on-whichr they contacta-the-sloping sides of the grooves, equal in radius-to fthatof Vthe circle:onsaidfsloping` '-f sides oftthe; grooves at 'which'fthefballsatrack, land ythat is, .without slipping. at'itheir seating eitheralso equal in radius to the circle on which the balls track on the sloping sides of the rings, 46, 46a, which constitute their outer track on the roller bearing member.

This feature consisting both in their inner seat on the rollers and their outer seat onl the journal 'bearing member', maybe stated .as.consistlng in equality of radius of the `pitch line between the balls and rollers, and the radius of the pitch line `between the balls and their outer track. Such 'equality `ofy pitch line radii is obtained by dimensioning the parts substantially as shown in the drawings.

AAn'importantfeature of the construction illustrated lin the drawings consists in a ring, 47,

ydimensioned as Vto inner diameter for slide fit on the journal part, A1, and as to width and thickness for-being accommodated in the grooves of the-roller without necessarily contacting the sloping sides of the grooves when the rollers are in rolling contact with the journal. The reason for providing the ball assemblies with the rings, 47, is that by reason of the slight freedom of the roller assembly and corresponding freedom of the ball assembly, which is necessary to avoid binding the rollers in contact which would tend vto defeat the possibility of rollingwithout friction, inthe absence of the journal the rollers at the upper side of the journal space ,tend to sag into that space so that the ends ofthe sagging rollers are presented inthe path of insertion of thejournal into the journal bearing, which renders it difficult to introduce the journal into the bearing. This diiculty is avoided by the presence of the rings, 47, which; as stated, have I then' inner diameters such as to make .them slidable on the journal, so that they presentan unobstructed guideway for entering the journal;

and when the journal is in place and the rollers are'allseated in rolling contact withthe journal, the rings, 47, riding idly on the journal,.are out of vcontact with the sides of the grooves, except asthey may oscillate slidingly on the journal into and out of bare touch at one lateral edgejor the .other with 4one side or the other of r the grooves, such temporary touch. beingwithl out sensible pressure Vbecause of the free sliding of the rings on the journal.

At the outer side or end ofv the journal bearing member, B, it isformed with its inner diameter lfurther enlarged beyondthe diameter which accommodates thetball assemblies to form a slight outwardly facing annular shoulder, 50, .for seat- '.inga ball-assem-bly-retaining means consisting, .inthefform shown in Figure 1, of a pair of an- .inularelements 60,61, which may be named col- 'lars or rings, which as an assembly are stopped at rthe outer circumferential margin onv the shoulder, 50, andatxthe :inner circumferential V'margin `ofrboth/ringslapped on the.outerv circumferential margin ofthe track plates, 33, 34, of theball assemblyVmeans being provided, as hereinafter described, for, holding the two rings,

y 60, 61,.-togetherand as an assembly rmly bound against theshoulder, 50.* .f

To avoid'possibility vof clamping the ball assembly between'ithese collars, .60,161,.which would .tend to. defeat ythe :anti-friction ,function of.. the

ball assembly, .the collars are formed to provide means for positively Aandunchangeably,spacingsf from'each other theirfsaid inner circumferential vmargins by which the track plates 33 and34 fare engaged as shown in; Figure l. This positive `spacing apart ofthe track-plate-engaging marginsj is effected .byz forming at least `one lof 4saidi75 collars,-`andpreferably as shown in `Figure 1,

rboth of theme-With a rabbet at the inner circumferential lmargin, in which rabbet V4the'ball assembly is. accommodated without clamping when the collars are held close together at their outer unrabbeted circumferential margins. u

v The modification of the rabbeted construction avoiding rabbets is shown in Figure '7k consisting in making both the collars, 60, 61, in theform of plane flat rings, 60X and 61x, and providing one of them with three orfmore angularly spaced studs or bosses, 60V, projecting toward one or the other of the flat rings, the length of the studs or bosses being substantially equal to, or barely sensibly greater than the total dimension of the ball assembly, so that the rings, 60x and 61X, are spaced apart suciently to .accommodate the ball assembly without clamping when the two rings are held together as closely as vpermitted by the bosses.

In Veither of the forms described, the. ballassembly-retaining means is bound firmly againstthe shoulder, 50, Vby a -cap member, G, screwed into the interiorlyv threaded end of the journal bearing member,` as seen at g. At the inner end of the journal bearing member, B, there is provided an annular closure'member, 70, whose central aperture is somewhat vgreater in diameter than the axle member at the plane of said closure member, which is back of the shoulder, 21. And at the inner face `of this annular closure member it is formed with a slightly inwardly protruding annular boss, 71, whose outer diameter is just perceptibly less than the inner diameter of the outer-side-member, 61, of the ball-retaining element of the inner end ball assembly, D; so that said'annular boss may be encountered by the ends ofthe rollers in the slight possible axial oscillation of the `roller system in which the endV thrust of the journal is `experienced alternately in opposite directions.

In order that the annular boss may be accurately positioned for encounter of the rollers as described to avoid any greater oscillation of the roller system than consistent with proper antifrictional rolling cooperation of the balls with the rollers, and .to permit such proper range of oscillation, the closure member is arranged to be screwed into the end of the `journal bearing member an 4amount predetermined by careful observation of ak competent mechanic in` the assembly of the construction at the factory of production; and when the proper adjustment is determined, cooperating keys'eats in the outer circumferential periphery of the closure and the inner threaded circumferential periphery of the terminal flange of the journal bearing member is made by drilling the` two parts at their interlocking threaded circumferences for receiving a key pin, 73, which may be a screw, the drilled key seat being threaded for receiving such screw key. It will be observed that due to the inner diameter of the annular closure member being greater than the diameter of the axle at the transaxial plane of said closure member, the axle has no bearing on the closure member.

Upon considering the construction as above described, it may be seen that I have produced a journal bearing adapted for railway car axles or roadvvehicle wheels, and the like, of which all the parts are of simple form easily and economically manufactured, and in which end thrust in both directions is taken by a single system of balls constituting a substantially fric# tionless end thrust bearing which is accessible .at the7 outer `-endp-of the axle-:Land outer s'ide Lof `the wheeliandsofa which fall theiparts cooperating forfend thrust and.Irelative'rotation. are'se'nclosed j in Va cavity..` ofl thef'j'ournalr bearing member.' which -insertionendwiser through 4saidroller system and beingv` seated therein; af ball bearing 4for taking kthe endwise thrust off the-journal consistingfof ,afcircular s'ystemV of balls andapair of annular #track platesfembracng 'the' system in"` entirety,

.forming with.v sai'dfballs a.ballf.bea'ring assembly,

Lthejournal having :its outer endfportionrdimen` sioned for yreceiving said 'assembly andi `havingl a shoulder yfor stoppingsaid'.'assembly` axially; (means forretaiiingf said assembly in said stopped *position* on lftheljournaL- f the journal be'ralri'rrg havingA fan .enlargement at .the outer i4end portion 'inl thexzone "of the` mounting "ofi the `vball bearing -assembly'on'lthe journal',lsaid enlargement forming a stop shoulder-'encompassing lthe Yjournal yand the'ballbearingassembly; an'- annular mem- `bermounted in saidfrenlargementdimensioned as .toLinner'diameterfor lapping over thecircumferential margin of thefouter plateof they ball bearing'. assembly; whereby `whenthe ball bear'- ing assembly isise'cu'r'ed on the Ajour-rial by said fretainingmeans and'` said annular. memberf is mounted ini said Venlargeme'rt 'andffstopped on said shoulder the journal is'l'ocked again'stf endwise withdrawal from the vjournal bearing, and a cap screwed into the venlargernent/'of the v'journal outside vsaid lannularl` member forv `locking fthe latter in'lthejournalbearing." T 2. An4 anti-friction roller'y bearing construction vcomprising `in combinationwith a journal and a journal.bearinglmember, 'afroller assembly com'- prising a circular system of rollers with ballassemblies at itsop'posite ends consisting'r each of annular ball-retaining'y track Y membersencompassing the roller system, anda circularball system carried in the ball-retainingltracks respectively iory seating the rollers ofl the'- roller'4 system at their opposite ends, thejournalbear'ing mem'- 'ber beingfforme'd, as'by counterbore's', vat its opposite` endsV 'with outwardly kfacing annular shoulders dimensioned for seating'the'balltrack .elements off the rollerI assembly,l means Y*locking the ball track-retaining members in the journal bearing member consisting of a cap screwed onto the journaly bearing member enclosing the end of the journal and the ball system locking means; whereby the cavity of the journal bearing member which accommodates the ball system is adapted to serve as a lubricant chamber. 3. A roller bearing construction comprising in combination with a journaland a journal bear-` ing member, a roller system encompassing the journal within the journal bearing member, the rollers of the system having each toward each end an annular encompassing groove of which the sides are radially inwardly converging in axial section of the roller; a system of balls at each end.; of the roller system having the balls lodged individuallybetween consecutive rollers seating in said grooves of the rollers, the journal bearing member being provided with circum- :bearingjfor seating 3the balls of -vthe :respective fsystems ontherconverging sides :of said grooves, :the parts/.being dimensionedto, .render :the :radius of the circle on the balls iat which they .are seated for rolling on their inner tracks fon the :rollers equallfto .fthe radius iof'ithe ieircle .onthe lfballs fiat which lthey. are .seated for. mollingjrin thei-r :outer track .the .'groovezof the :journal ibearng'rmember. n Y

- 4. .Amoller fbearing construction comprising in combination with aijournal and ya iournall bearring ,-member, .a rrollen-system 'encompassing the ,:J' ournall-qwithinlthe sj ourna'l :bearing member, f.the rollers :ofthe :system having each ztoward peach Aend. :an annular encompassing groove :of which thesides are v-'radially inwardly convergingdn axial fsection of :the ,-roller; :a :system 'of balls fat each fend fof the :roller system lhaving pthe :balls fledged individually y,betweenfconsecutive rollers sseating insaid grooves of the Vrollers, the -journal -fbeariiig member being provided with :circumferfentially-grooved `.tracks V:for :the 'ball `systems re.- spectivelyfencompassingf the same, the groovesfof .Seide-tracks havingtheir :sides converging outwardly radially in :axial section of the .journal -bearing for seating ,the -balls fof4 the respective :systems on the -zconvergingsides of said grooves, .thefparts fbeing dimensioned 4tofrender-the radius fof fthe circle on fthe .balls at which Athey are Aseated 'for .rolling on their .finner track -on the roller-S equaLto the `radius .fof .theroller at the :transverse planerat which `ftheballs are/seated .in the-grooves offsthefrollersiwhich form the in- .ner tliack -of =theV balls.

d ,5. Aroller bearing constructionzcomprising in .combination `mvith yajournal :and `a journalbear- .ing-.memben fa -roller system encompassing the journal Within the journal lbearing rmember, the lrollers -of the .fsystemvf'having ea'ch toward each end an lannular fencompassing tgroovev of I which .the :sides are radially inwardly :converging in axialfsectionfof ithe roller; -afsystem'of balls at feach fend-of itheyroller system Ihaving the :balls .lodged individually between vconsecutive rollers seatinglsinfsaidggrooves of `the rrollers, the gjournal .bearing `member being .provided -with Jcircum- ,ferentiallysgrooved :tracks :for --the :ball systems respectively t encompassing the fsame,-rthengroo ves of said etracks. having ,their -sides `converging .outwardlysradially in :axial -section of 'fthe journal bearingfforeseating:the balls of `the respective systems C on :the lconverging @sides of said grooves,

enamora Athe iparts being ,fdimensionedtto `renderithe radius -of :the circleonfthe ballsatwhich'they seat'afor rolling fon ytheir .inner tracks yonfthe rollers, and the radius -of the circle `at which theyseat .for

:rolling on .their outer trackin thejournalbearing member being :equalfand equal'to'the radius fof `Ithe rollers .at vthe transverse :plane at which ithezballs are seated inthe Vgroove ofthe rollers '.whichforms the inner .track of the balls.

6.` `Incombination with. a journal member .and ,fajournalfbearing member, an anti-,frictionlr'oller fsystemiinterposed :between the journal and the `journal )bearing member, and an anti-friction Yball system of which the .individual balls are finterposed'between rcircularly consecutive rollers .fof .itheroller system and alsobetween said rollers and .thev 1roller-system-encompassing journal bearing %thejournal member being l'reduced in diameter .overtthe .portion of its length occupied by the roller system forming a stop shoulderzat thefinner end of fthe rollersystem, anda-closure 'Iorithe journal bearingfat ythe nnerendfconsist .ingffof a ringnarranged to be screwed into rthe y'inner end of thejourna'l bearing member and idimensioned :as to its inner diameter 'f or loosely .encompassinglthe yj ouinal-.at thefunreduced part of the latterinwardifrom said stop shoulder, said Kclosure :ring being .reduced Ain thickness on its linner :face at an outer circumferential vpart `of :Said face yto eform at :an inner circumferential f-part Athereof Aan annular boss :facing the inner rends-of the rollers for encounter with the rollers to limit their iendvvise :playwith respect to the ,ball systemand vthe :journalbearingy and means forfsecuring said screwed-.in ring at positionto whichrit'may be adjusted byscrewing it yinto the journal bearing member.

7. ,In; combination vWith a journal `and a jourynal :bearing member, `an antifriction roller system' interposed `between -the Ajournal uand the .journal :bearing memberg and .an anti-'friction ball system of vwhich the .individual balls `are interposed between" `the fcircularly consecutive rollers :and-'also between said zrollers and the `journalfbearing member,y the rollers of the roller -system'having eacha circumferentially encompassing groove .for seating the ballsbetween the frollers andthe journallbearingmember, and a ringtltted slidingly on the l.journal and dimenfsioned as v'to interiordiameter and thickness in axialv direction for engaging the `encompassing grooves of the rollers when the latter are oper- :atively :assembled with .interposed balls in the ljournal bearing member. 1

ROBERT LINN. 

